Automatic operating mechanism for machine-guns.



No. 636,974. Patented Nov. I4, I899.

F. M. GARLAND. AUTOMATIC OPERATING MECHANISM FUR MACHINE GUNS.

(Application filed Feb. 6, 1899.) (N0 Modem 4 SheetsSheet 1,

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m: annals PETERS co.. Pno'ro-umoqwAsnmemu. n. c.

No. 636,974. Patented Nov. [4, I899.

F. M. GARLAND.

AUTOMATIC OPERATING MECHANISM FOR MACHINE GUNS.

(Application filed Feb. 6, 1899.) (No Model.) 4 SheatsSheet 2.

Patented Nov. I4, I899.

a F. IVI. GARLAND. AUTOMATIC OPERATING MECHANISM FOR MACHINE GUNS.

(Application filed Fab. 6, 1899.) (No Model.) 4 SheeIsSheet 3,

No. 636,974. Patented Nov. l4, I899.

F. M. GARLAND. AUTOMATIC OPERATING MECHANISM FOR MACHINE GUNS.

(Application filed Feb. 6, 1899.) (No Model.) 4 Sheets-Sheet 4,

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UNTTEE STATES PATENT @FFTCIE.

FRANK M. GARLAND, or NEw HAVEN, CCNNECTICUT, ASSIGNOR OF TWO- THIRDS TO EBENEZER B. BEEOHER, OF WEsTVILLE, CONNECTICUT.

AUTOMATIC OPERATING MECHANISM FOR MACHINE-GUNS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 636,974, dated November 14, 1899.

Application filed February 6, 1899. Serial No. 704,634. (No model.)

To ctZZ whom/it may concern.-

Be it known that I, FRANK M. GARLAND, a citizen of the United States, residing at New Haven, in the county of New Haven and State of Connecticut, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Automatic Operating Mechanisms for Machine-Guns, 'of' .ing is accomplished by hydraulic means, the

recoil incident to firing one barrel being communicated through fluid to a piston connected with the loading mechanism of the other barrel. In the gun herein shown and described the loading of one barrel is accomplished by the forward movement of the other barrel.

The object of this invention is to provide a gun of this nature with a simple and durable mechanism which will act positively in a desirable manner for loading one barrel after the other barrel has been fired and is returning to position to be again loaded.

In the embodiment of the invention illustrated by the accompanying drawings the barrels are loosely supported, so that when cartridges are discharged they recoil and make tense the actuating-springs, which after the effect of the recoil has been utilized draw the barrels forward with a speed determined by the adjustment of a liquid regulator. The breech-blocks are carried back with the barrels when they recoil and are held back when the barrels are drawn forward by the springs, so that the breeches are opened and the ex- .ploded shells extracted. Each of the frames that are connected with the barrels is pro vided with a hook arranged to engage with a part of the breech-block mechanism of the other barrel,'so as to draw the breech-block of that other barrel home when the hook moves forward with the barrel with which it is connected. The backward movement of one barrel and its breech-block releases the breech-block mechanism of the other barrel, so that the breech-block of that other barrel may be drawn home by the advance of the barrel that causes the release.

In the views the feeding, firing, and ejecting mechanisms are not shown, for they are fully illustrated and described in the allowed application above referred to and do not form a part of the present invention.

Figure l of the views shows a plan of a gun embodying the invention. Fig. 2 shows a side elevation of this gun. Fig. 3 shows a plan of the breech ends of the barrels and the loading mechanisms, the case being cut in central horizontal section. Fig. 4 is a transverse section taken on the plane indicated by the broken line A of Fig. 3. Fig. 5 is a transverse section taken on the plane indicated by the line B. Fig. 6 is a view looking into the butt-section of the case from the front. Fig. 7 is a vertical longitudinal section looking at the left-hand-barrel frame and loading mechanism with the breech-block closed. Fig. 8

is a vertical longitudinal section looking at the right-hand-barrel frame with the breechblock open. Fig. 9 is a plan of the hook-support that is connected with the left-hand-barrel frame. Fig. 10 is a side view of this part. Fig. 11 is a plan of the hook-support that is connected with the right-hand-barrel frame. Fig. 12 is a side view of this part. Fig. 13 is a plan of the retaining-hooks that hold the breech-block mechanisms while the barrels are moving forward. Fig. 14 is a side View of these hooks. Fig. 15 shows side and plan views of the slides connected with the breechblock mechanisms that are engaged by the retaining-hook, and Fig. 16 is an enlarged sectional view of one of the breech-blocks.

The barrels 1 are movably held by the forward end of the case 2, that incloses the mechanisms, and by the cross-head 3, that is supported by posts 4:, fastened to the end of the case. The springs 5 thrust between the yoke 6, that is connected with the cross-head, and collars 7, that are fastened to the barrels, so that the backward movements of the barrels make the springs tense, as fully set forth in the application referred to, Figs. 1 and 2.

The end of each of the frames 8 that is connected with the breech ends of the barrels has a piston 9, that moves in a cylinder 10, formed integral with the butt-section of the case. These cylinders open at the back into a common chamber 11 and in front into a common chamber 12. Between these chambers is a passage 13, and adjacent to this passage is a valve 14. The stem of this valve is loosely supported by a yoke 15, that projects from a plug screwed into the butt of the case. The spring 16 on the valve-stem is arranged to hold the valve toward the passage with a yielding pressure, and the end of a spindle 17, that passes through the plug, is arranged to form a stop that limits the movement of the valve toward the passage, Fig. 3. The cylinders are filled with fluid through the tube 18 when the plug 19 is removed from the opening inthecase. When thecylinders arefilled,more or less fiuid will fiow into the chamber around the tube 18; but of course this chamber at the upper end of the tube will contain some air, which, as it cannot escape, will not be displaced by the fluid, Fig. 4. The valve 14 permits a free flow of fluid from the rear chamber to the front chamber and allows unrestricted backward movements of the barrels; but it obstructs the flow of fiuid from the front chamber to the rear chamber, and thus retards the forward movements of the pistons, so that the speed of the forward movements of the barrels may be regulated. This organization is the same as set forth in the prior application.

The breech-blocks 20 are movable in the ways 21 in the barrel-frames toward and from the breeches of the barrels, and each of these breech-blocks bears a firing-pin 22, a cocking-lever 23, a scar 24, and extractonfingers 25, Fig. 8.

Connected with the breech-blocks by levers 26 are recoil-blocks 27, that when the breech-blocks close the breeches of the barrels are wedged against the backing-blocks 28 and held in place by the locking-levers 45, Fig. 7, and when the breech-blocks are opened move up and along the ways 29 in the barrel-frames, Fig. 8.

When the barrel-framesmove backward with the barrels and the breech-blocks, the upper ends' of the locking-levers 45 engage with stationary lugs 46, and this engagement causes the upper ends of these levers to be depressedand the lower ends to be moved from the locking shoulders on the recoilblocks, leaving the recoil-blocks free to be moved upwardly when the barrels move forwardly and the breech-blocks move backwardly.

The lower ends of the breech-block levers are connected by links 30 with levers 31, mounted upon arbors 32,projecting from slideblocks 33, that are fitted to slide back and forth upon the rear ends of the frames. The upper ends of these slide-levers are connected by links 34 with the frames, Figs. 7 and 8.

When a cartridge is fired in one of the barrels, the recoil incident to the discharge through the breech-block and recoil-block forces back the barrel-frame and draws the barrel connected with the frame backward against its spring. blocks and the levers which connect them move back with the barrel-frame in the relation shown in Fig. 7 sufficiently far for the angular ends of the arbors 32, that project from the slide 33, to be engaged and held by the catch-hooks After the recoil has been eX- pended the fired barrel is drawn forward by its spring, and as the catch-hooks retain the arbors and slide the slide-levers are caused to oscillate from the position illustrated in Fig. 7 to that shown in Fig. 8. This oscillation of the slide-levers through the links so oscillates the breech-block levers that the recoil-block is lifted from' the backing-block and moved along the upper way in the frame.

The catch-hooks 35 project forwardly from a frame that is pivoted to the case, and this frame has an upward extension 36, that is connected with a rod 37, which extends through the butt of the case and is on the outside provided with a cam-lever 45. By means of this cam-lever the rod may be drawn back and the catch-hooks lifted from the slide-arbors. A spring is placed on the rod between the extension 36 and an arm 38, projecting from the cylinders, that are cast integral with the butt of the case in such manner that the catch-hooks are kept down for engagement with the arbors with a yielding pressure, Figs. 8, 13, and 14.

When one of the barrels is thrown back by recoil and the arbors are forced under the catch-hooks, the hooks are temporarily lifted by the passage beneath them of the arbors forced back, and this lifting of the hooks temporarily releases the arbors on the slide on the other barrel-frame that have been previously engaged by the catch-hooks. When these latter arbors are released, the slide to which they are connected is thrown forward by the elasticity of the firing-pin spring 47, Fig. 16, so far that those arbors will not be caught when the hooks spring down to catch the arbors of the slide that is forced back. The spring 47, as illustrated in the prior application referred to, is compressed by the contact of the ends of the extractor-fingers 25 with the recoil-block 28 when the breech-block is drawn back, and as the hooks are disengaged from the arbors this tension is sufficient to throw the parts forward. and prevent the trucks from catching the arbors that are released.

Connected with the inside of each of the barrel-frames is a yoke 39, that supports a coupling-hook 40. The yoke that is attached to the inside of the left-hand-barrel frame is shown in Figs. 9 and 10, and the yoke that is attached to the inside of the right-hand-barrel frame is shown in Figs. 11 and 12. The former yoke in its rearward extension has a mortise 41, through which projects the coupling-hook of the latter yoke. The rearward1yextending portion of the latter yoke is in a lower plane than the corresponding part of The recoil and breech.

the former yoke in order that it may pass bethis rearwardly-extending portion of the latter yoke has a mortise 42, through which projects the coupling-hook of the former yoke, Fig. 3. Thecoupling-hooks l0 areheldraised by springs 43, Figs. 10 and 12.

When one barrel is drawn forward by its spring after recoil, the coupling-hook supported by the yoke on the frame of that barrel that reaches over on the inside nearly to the other barrel-frame engages a shoulder on the slide-arbor and draws forward the slide of that barrel. This causes the slide-levers to oscillate and the breech and recoil blocks to move from the open positions illustrated in Fig. 8 to those shown in Fig. 7. Just as the breech-block is forced home a lug 44, fastened to the inside of the lower end of the slide-lever that is being oscillated, engages the lower end of the coupling-hook that is drawing forward that slide and disen gages the coupling-hook from the arbor, Fig. 7.

The backward movement of a barrel carries back its breech-block mechanism until it is engaged by the catch-hooks, and the passage of the arbors beneath lifts the catchhooks, so as to release the arbors of the slide on the other barrel-frame. Then when the force of the recoil is utilized and the barrel is slowly drawn forward by its spring, the coupling-hook connected with the frame of the barrel being drawn forward engages the arbors of the slide on the other barrel-frame, that has just been released from the catchhooks, and draws the other slide so as to close the breech-block of the other barrel. This closing of the breech-block of one barrel is accomplished by the forward movement of the other barrel, as its own breech-block is held back so as to open the breech.

The fluid in the cylinders prevents the recoil from acting too violently on the springs, although it does not prevent a free action and a proper tension for service being given the springs. The proper regulation of the valve in the fluid-passage insures that the springs draw the barrels forward uniformly and without undue speed and violence. The positive engagement of the coupling-hook on one barrel-frame with the breech-block mechanism on the other barrel-frame insures a proper closing of the breech-blocks at a speed that can be regulated and controlled, so that the cartridges can be loaded into the barrel with safety and without danger of jamming the mechanisms.

I claim as my invention- 1. In combination in a machine-gun, barrels, springs for drawing forward the barrels, frames connected with the barrels, breechblocks movable backwardly with the barrels, a catch for retaining each breech-block while the corresponding barrel is moving forwardly, and a coupling moving with each barrel-frame for drawing forwardly the breech-block of the opposite barrel, substantially as specified.

2. In combination in a machine-gun, barrels, springs for drawing forward the barrels, frames connected with the barrels, pistons connected with the frames and movable in cylinders,breech-blocks movable backwardly with the barrels, a catch for retaining each breech-block while the corresponding barrel is moving forwardly, and a coupling moving with each barrel-frame for drawing forwardly the breech-block of the opposite barrel, substantially as specified.

3. In combination in a machine-gun, barrels, springs for drawing forward the barrels, frames connected with the barrels, pistons connected with the frames and movable in cylinders, a passage between the ends of the cylinders, an adjustable valve located in the passage, breech-blocks movable backwardly with the barrels, a catch for retaining each breech-block while the corresponding barrel is moving forwardly, and a coupling moving with each barrel-frame fordrawing forwardly the breech-block of the opposite barrel, substantially as specified.

4. In combination in a machine-gun, barrels, springs for drawing forward the barrels, frames connected with the barrels, breechblocks movable backwardly with the barrels, a catch for retaining each breech-block while the corresponding barrel is moving forwardly, said catches being so arranged that when one breech-block is engaged the other breechblock is released, and a coupling movable with each barrel-frame for drawing forwardly the breech-block of the opposite barrel, substantially as specified.

5. In combination in a machine-gun, barrels, springs for drawing forward the barrels, frames connected with the barrels, breechblocks movable backwardly with the barrels, levers connected with each breech-block, catches for engaging the levers and holding them while the barrels are moving forwardly, and a coupling moving with each barrel-frame for drawing forwardly the breech-block of the opposite barrel, substantially as specified.

6. In combination in a machine-gun, barrels, springs for drawing forward the barrels, frames connected with the barrels, a breechblock movable backwardly with each barrel, a slide movable along each barrel-frame, levers mounted upon the slides and connected with the breech-blocks, recoil-blocks connected with the breech-blocks, catches for engaging the slides and holding the levers and breech-blocks when the barrels are moving forwardly, and a coupling moving with each barrel-frame for drawing forwardly the breech-block of the opposite barrel, substantially as specified.

7. In combination in a machine-gun, barrels, springs for drawing forward the barrels, frames connected with the barrels, breechblocks moving backwardly with the barrels, slides movable along the barrel-frames, levers mounted upon the slides and connected with the frames and with the breech-blocks,

hooks pivotally connected with the case and arranged to engage and hold each slide when the correspondingbarrel is moving forwardly, and a coupling moving with each barrelframe for drawing forwardly the breech-block of the opposite barrel, substantially as specified.

b. In combination in a machine-gun, barrels, springs for drawing forward the barrels, frames connected with the barrels, breechblocks movable backwardly with the barrels, slides movable along the barrel-frames, levers connected with the breech-blocks borne by the slides, catch hooks pivoted to the frame and arranged to engage and hold each slide when the corresponding barrel is moving forwardly, a connection passing from the catch-hooks through the butt of the case, means for drawing the connection so as to lift the catch-hooks from engagement with the slides, and a coupling moving with each barrel-frame for drawing breech-block of the opposite barrel, substantially as specified.

9. In combination in a machine-gun, barrels, springs for drawing forward the barrels, frames connected with the barrels, abreechforwardly the block moving backwardly with each barrel, a catch for retaining each breech-block while the corresponding barrel is movingforwardly, a yoke fastened to the inside of each barrelframe, and a coupling-hook borne by each yoke in position to engage parts connected with the breech-block of the barrel opposite to that with which it is connected, substantially as specified.

10. In combination in a machine-gun, barrels, springs for drawing forward the barrels, frames connected with the barrels, a breechblock moving backwardly with each barrel, a slide movable along each frame, levers borne by each slide and connected with the breechblocks, shouldered arbors projecting from each slide, catch-hooks arranged to engage the shouldered arbors when each slide moves backwardly, yokes connected with the insides of the barrel -frames, and couplinghooks borne by the yokes and adapted to engage the arbors of the slides on the opposite barrel-frames, substantially as specified.

FRANK M. GARLAND.

Witnesses:

CHARLES S. HAMILTON, BERTHA BACHANT. 

